Abstract: A method may be used for reconciling entries in two or more schedules using a schedule history. If the schedules are in different format, all of the schedules are converted to a single format. Then entries from the schedules are considered, for example, in chronological order. When an entry does not occur in all the schedules, the schedule history is checked for the entry. If the entry is not in the schedule history, the entry is added to any schedule which does not contain the entry. If the entry is not in the schedule history, the entry is deleted from any schedule which contains the entry. The schedule history may be updated concurrent with changes made to the other schedules. Alternately, after the reconciliation is complete the schedule history may be changed to match the reconciled schedules.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for locating mobile objects in a distributed network having a large number of nodes connected by a communication network, each object supported by a stable storage server. The system uses either a two level or three level method to provide reliable and economical location of objects. The levels are increasingly expensive, but increasingly reliable. In the first level, address descriptors or forwarding addresses are used to retrace the mobile object's movements from node to node, each node ideally having an address descriptor indicating the location of the next node to which the object moved. If this strategy fails, the second level (which is more expensive and more reliable than the first) is used and includes accessing stable storage to find a current address descriptor for the object. If the object still cannot be located, the most expensive and most reliable level is used, i.e., a universal name service.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a multi-bit CRC character is created by generating a most significant bit (MSB) portion and a least significant bit (LSB) portion in parallel and then combining the MSB and LSB portions to provide the CRC character. This is accomplished by first XORing a multi-bit input character and a current multi-bit CRC high value character stored in a CRC high value latch. The result of this initial XOR operation serves as the input to a high value look-up table which maps the input to a corresponding high value look-up table output character. The value look-up table output character is XORed with a current multi-bit CRC low value character stored in a CRC low value latch to generate an updated CRC high value character. In parallel with the generation of the updated CRC high value character, the result of the initial XOR operation is also provided as the input to a low value look-up table which maps the input to a corresponding updated CRC low value character.

Abstract: A computer system which includes certain minimum capabilities in a system ROM. Device driver software is located in the system ROM or adapter ROM's. On boot the computer system collects these device drivers from ROM to develop a minimal system. If a removable medium such as a floppy disk or CD-ROM is present a configuration mode is entered when final driver files and operating system modules are stored on a selected hard disk. After this storage the device driver modules and operating system modules necessary to develop a boot image of the operating system are gathered and linked. The boot image is generated and stored, allowing use on the following boot operations. The computer system detects device changes and rebuilds the boot image as necessary. If the devices have remained the same the previously stored boot image is loaded and operating system execution commences.

Abstract: A computer system which can receive boot information over a parallel or serial port. The ports are inspected for activity prior to attempting to boot from a floppy or hard disk. If there is activity on the port the sequence being received is read and compared to a predetermined identification sequence. If a match is made, an acknowledgement character is transmitted. A communication sequence commences to transfer the boot information over the link. After the transfer is complete, the boot information is executed. The serial transfer utilizes the conventional serial lines, while the parallel transfer is performed a nibble at a time. This nibble mode allows use of only outputs to inputs to avoid dual source driving problems.

Abstract: A process for selecting a least weight path between two nodes in a data communication network uses partial trees created and cached in prior route selection operations. All root nodes on possible paths between the two nodes are identified. Any cached tree having a root matching one of the identified root nodes is retrieved from storage. If necessary, each retrieved tree is extended until it includes all possible destination nodes. The extended and/or retrieved trees are used to select the least weight path between the two nodes. The extended tree is then cached for possible use in future route selection operations.

Abstract: A method of controlling execution of a series of jobs includes the steps of executing the series of jobs sequentially, determining jobs to be rerun in the series of jobs as rerun jobs in accordance with the file access information when one of the series of jobs is terminated abnormally, the file access information indicating access to each of the files by each of the jobs, and rerunning the rerun jobs. When the rerun jobs are determined, the necessity of access to each of the files by each of the rerun jobs is determined in accordance with the file access information, and access to the files by each of said rerun jobs is selectively skipped in accordance with the result of determining the necessity of the access. Furthermore, when the series of jobs are executed, the files are allocated to an allocatable storage device in accordance with the file access information so that the jobs to be rerun become minimal.

Abstract: A computer program is disclosed for reclaiming unreferenced computer memory space, also known as garbage collection. The program operates in a virtual memory environment wherein user memory space is divided into pages. For each active page, a table stores the age of the oldest object on the page (A-value) and the age of the youngest object pointed to from that page (F-value). A generational partition divides the pages into "safe" pages and "threatened" pages, based on their A-values. Rescuer pages, which may contain pointers to threatened pages, are determined by comparing the F-values to the generational partition. All potential pointers on the rescuing pages are traced and the objects pointed to are marked as reachable. All objects reachable from other reachable objects are also marked. Unmarked threatened objects are de-allocated.

Abstract: In a focal point network, adjacent nodes may agree to a relationship where one node (a focal point or server node) supplies network management services to the other node (a non-focal point or served node). A served node forwards management services data to its server node without waiting for any request. There is a risk that the nodes will become configured into a closed loop within which data, once introduced, will circulate endlessly. To eliminate this risk, a loop-detection message is generated when a node acquires a new server node and is itself a server node for other nodes. The message, which includes the originating node's name, is passed from served node to server node. Each node inspects the message. If it does not find its own name, it appends its name to the message and passes it on to its own server node. If the node does find its own name, it generates a loop-detected message that revokes the server/served relationship with the current server node.

Abstract: In the scheduling method disclosed herein, a genetic algorithm is employed to improve a population of possible schedules represented by respective chromosomes, where the chromosomes upon which the genetic algorithm operates are not a direct encoding of a possible schedules. Rather, the details of the scheduling problem and the real life constraints typically associated with such problems are hidden from the genetic algorithm by the use of a deterministic schedule builder which operates on lists of the desired tasks and which generates legal schedules, i.e. schedules which do not violate hard constraints. The legal schedules so generated are evaluated or scored and the scores are provided to the genetic algorithm as feedback for influencing subsequent operation of the genetic algorithm.

Abstract: A data processing system has a microprocessor for executing programs useful in installing adapters having programmable option select (POS) registers. An adapter description file (ADF) stores a list of possible choices which define system resources usable by the adapter. An adapter description program (ADP) verifies certain of the choices. A configuration program then selects a valid choice and stores it in a non-volatile memory from where it can be read upon subsequent system startups into the POS registers.

Abstract: A method of synchronizing the parallel processors of a multiple instruction stream multiprocessor employs a limited number of register channels, which may be re-used, for enforcing cross-stream data or event dependencies by passing data or event notifications in a synchronizing fashion. Cross-stream dependencies which by virtue of identified "synchronization redundancey" do not require enforcement by register channels are passed by writing to and reading from ordinary shared memory. A compiling method schedules the instructions into parallel instruction streams by reference to a directed acyclic graph (DAG), in a manner to minimize the production of cross-stream dependencies. The scheduling is determined beginning from the highest nodes in the DAG and proceeding to nodes in order of descending node height in a manner tending and tends to assign whole sub-graphs of the DAG to different processors.

Abstract: A technique for dynamically translating network management primitives into operations on management information stored within a relational database hosting a management information base. A CMIP network management operation and argument is retrieved from a network management processing machine and processed by a full or partial OSI stack. The CMIP operation is examined to ascertain a type of network management operation. If the operation is of a type which interacts with the database, a database query is generated in accordance with the operation type, to perform the network management operation on the relational database.

Abstract: A system based on codes permits the management of static and dynamic object streams including virtual static objects, object I/O, typed object I/O, and object multiplexing and demultiplexing. System information consists of codes and non-code information which exists within objects which may be typed, and may exist within static or dynamic streams.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for the automation of virtually all clerical functions in an office, such as for example, an insurance agency. Virtually any document generated by the office may be printed without the need for pre-printed forms, as the system prints such forms on a laser printer near the worker requesting the form, using a page description language (PDL) appropriate to the printer. The clerical activity involved in maintaining, updating, retrieving, displaying and printing information relating to the functions of the office is supported.A complete audit history of all activity to a specific database (DB) file record is maintained without saving the entire DB record in a historical file. The system also supports a worker when it is desired to interrupt a particular task and execute a different task, without losing information already entered for the first task, but without allowing the worker to exit the system without completing or accounting for the first task.

Abstract: In a system including electronic mail facilities made available to attached users, means are provided to enable user using any terminal connected to the system network to select a form among prestored document forms, fill said form in and then have said form mailed for approval by system users selected based on predefined and stored rules. The approval path is being permanently updated by the system. The system is made to filter access to the filled-in forms using prestored tables, and monitor the mailing and processing said filled-in forms for approval.

Abstract: Object-oriented software-based systems may be optimized by providing a data representation which is initially permitted to be completely dynamic such that at compile time representation need not be specified and thereafter the data structure and representation is progressively optimized. The invention is based on the recognition that the important data structures in object-oriented systems are not the objects but rather the slots, i.e., the attributes of objects.

Abstract: A system for controlling communications among a computer processing unit and a plurality of peripheral devices which are arrayed in operative connection with a plurality of external buses. The system comprises a bus control circuit for effecting operative routing of address information regarding a respective peripheral device from the computer processing unit to an appropriate external bus, the respective peripheral device being in operative connection with the appropriate external bus. The bus control circuit also effects operative routing of data information from the respective peripheral device to another of the plurality of peripheral devices or to the computer processing unit according to the address information. The system further comprises a plurality of buffers for establishing operative interfaces between the system and each of the plurality of external buses and an internal bus for facilitating communications among the plurality of buffers, the bus control circuit, and the computer processing unit.

Abstract: A process and a device for deciding class hierarchical relationship of an object oriented language which, in decision of the relationship of class inheritance of an object oriented language having a hierarchical relationship of classes, performs coding processing for affixing the codes each having a predetermined relation to each of those classes and decides the relationship of inheritance in a hierarchy of two optional classes with said series of codes affixed to said two optional classes having said hierarchical relationship.

Abstract: An information management system for use with a computer having a display screen, the system including means for organizing information into an ordered sequence of worksheets in a workspace, each worksheet of the sequence of worksheets comprising an array of cells; and means for enabling a user to navigate through the sequence of worksheets on a worksheet to worksheet basis so as to display a selected one of the worksheets on the display screen. The system also includes means for selecting a plurality of worksheets from the ordered sequence of worksheets; and means for displaying on the display screen a perspective presentation of the selected worksheets.